People should also be able to vote electronically, cabinet secretary for local government and public services Alun Davies will say.

But one campaigner warned it would be a “lost opportunity” if the change in voting age isn’t combined with better education about politics and current affairs in schools.

Welcoming the move Jack Gillum, 21, from Knighton, Powys , sat on the British Youth Council and House of Parliament Votes at 16 Select Committee in 2014. That committee recommended lowering the voting age.

He has called for unbiased political education for young people.

He said: “It is encouraging to see the Welsh Government is looking at ways to engage young people in the democratic process even at the local level.

“While Votes at 16 has been a politically contested issue for some time, it is an important first step to start with local elections as many of the issues which affect young people’s daily lives are decided at that level.

“While I am optimistic of the benefits here, unless the Welsh Government also places a reform of unbiased political education in schools, the reduction of the voting age becomes a loss.

“With a new political education, it allows the young people to be more informed than many others and this is a perfect opportunity to have a more informed electorate to make the best decisions for the future.”

“I’ve always been an advocate of votes at 16 and my support for the “Votes at 16” campaign grew after the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014 when we saw the extent to which 16 year-olds in Scottish schools demonstrated their political passion and intelligence relating to social, cultural and economic affairs,” she said

“I’d love to see this franchise for 16 to 18 year-olds extended across the UK and to all elections, not just referenda or local elections.

“Previous generations have benefited from decision-making of those that went before but the next generation will pay a price for many of the decisions taken by those in power over the last two decades or more.

A spokesman for the Campaign for the Children and Young People’s Assembly for Wales said: “We are delighted to see a commitment to extending the vote to 16 year-olds. It shows Welsh Governments commitment to a strong agenda on children’s rights and respecting their right to be involved in decisions which affect them.

“We would like to see 16 year-olds get the vote in future Assembly Elections and UK General Elections.”

Professor Sally Holland, Children’s commissioner for Wales, said: “It’s exciting to think my own 12 year-old and his peers will be the first 16 year olds to vote in elections in Wales, and it will be up to parents, schools and our elected representatives to ensure that they have the knowledge and understanding to take this step with confidence.”

WebRoots Democracy, a youth-led digital democracy think tank, which has called for online voting since 2014, said it was delighted the Welsh Government has decided to back pilots of online voting.

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “We absolutely believe young people should be encouraged to engage with politics and schools are already encouraged to deliver a broad education, including political awareness.

"The development of the new curriculum provides a real opportunity to ensure a broad and balanced education for children and young people across Wales.”